The Cerritos College softball team found it difficult to score after the second inning, leading to an 8-4 loss at home versus Long Beach City College Vikings on April 12.

With the loss the Falcons lose the season series 2-1 against the Vikings.

The team is now 18-13 (6-4 in division play).

After going for three hits in both the first and second inning respectively, the Falcons were unable to convert a single hit on at bats in innings 3-7.

After the game head coach Kodee Murray said she did not have a comment on the game, stating only that it was a tough loss.

No. 33 Rain Vega, hit her first home run of the year for the Falcons, it came in the second inning.

Vega commented on her home run saying, she tried to keep her mind completely clear and just use basic thinking, “see ball, hit ball, and hit it hard somewhere”.

The just hit it mentality is Vega’s approach to every at bat and to try and get on base for her team.

No. 10 Allisyn Udell started the game off pitching, she came into the game with a record of 6-3 with eight games started.

Udell felt like if she was just getting adjusted to the game when her coach pulled her, she said, if she got more playing time she would have performed better, a comment that she talked to the coach about already.

“I got into a better mindset after that last inning when I was in there,” said Udell.

Udell started the first two innings of the game.

She ended her playing time allowing five hits and four runs, while striking out one player.

Udell also talked about the team performance, she said, “I feel the team played really well.”

She continued, giving credit to Vikings pitcher Allison Cienfuegos who came early after pitcher Emilee Hoppe exited the game following being struck in the leg off a hit by Briana Lopez.

Udell said, “[Cienfuegos] started mixing up her pitches and she had us all over the place.”

Although the team took the loss, Udell said,“but, we fought all the way through.”

Assistant coach Brendan Ashley echoed Udell’s credit to Cienfuegos, he said, “we only had one hit after the second inning, so I have to give that pitcher a lot of credit.”

He added, “We were warning the girls about the inside pitching, about the change ups, but they didn’t adjust to it.”

The Falcons were successful when Hoppe was in, the team scored all their runs against her and had all, but one of their hits with her on the mound as well.

Ashley said he wishes the team had a few more at bats with her.

Long Beach started off the game strong with many hits and runs.

So to relieve the pressure and throw off the hitters for the Vikings, the Falcons changed pitchers and put No. 20 Sierra Gerdts in the circle.

Gerdts played the remainder of the game.

In five innings, Gerdts gave up four runs, including one home run, seven hits and struck out two batters.

No. 16 Brianna Spoolstra hit well for the Falcons, as she ended the game with two RBI’s and two hits off of three at bats.

She commented after the game saying “whenever she comes up to bat she just try’s her best to hit the ball.”

Spoolstra also said the game got away from the Falcons when the Vikings hit a three run home run, they never seemed to recover and make up the runs.

The Falcons will play its next two games on the road, first against College of the Canyons on April 14 and next they will matchup with Ventura College on April 16, traveling long distances to compete in both games.

Ashley said the next two games don’t make the team or break them, however, the games will determine playoff seeding.

Check our tweets from the game on Twitter @talonmarksports

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Follow this thread for live tweeting of the Falcons softball versus Long Beach City College in today’s home game

— Talon Marks SPORTS (@talonmarksports) April 12, 2018